Manufacture of fibrous material to be used as a substitute for leather and other purposes.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KURT HARING, OF HERSFELD, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE CORPORATION OFANHYIpAT-LEDER-WEBKE, AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OF HERSFELD, GERMANY.

MANUFACTURE OF FIBROUS MATERIAL TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEATHER.

' AND OTHER PURPOSES.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KURT HARING, citizen of the German Empire, andresident of Hersfeld, Hesse-Nassau, Germany, with the post-officeaddress Dippelstrasse 4, have invented new and useful Improvements inthe Manufacture of Fibrous Material to be Used as a Substitute forLeather and other Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the production of an impregnated fibrousmaterial which has some of the characteristics of leather and which iscapable of'being used as a leather substitute and for other purposes.The

.fibrous material may be of any kind and especially when it consists ofa very thick felted fabric it can be impregnated in accordance with myinvention so as to produce a material so solid that it can hardly bedistinguished from impregnated leather.

The object of my invention is to treat fibrous material with a solutionof a suitable filling material, followed by'treatment with a fused massof filling material, said lastmentioned filling material being solublein the solvent for the filling material first used, and thus bywhat maybe termed a diffusion process accomplish a more complete and thoroughimpregnation of the fibrous material with filling material than can beobtained by previously known methods; moreover, by this diffusionprocess I can introduce into the fabric molten materials of considerableviscosity, such as could not be caused by previously known methods topenetrate thoroughly into the fiber.

In pending application, Serial No. 736,533, filed December 13, 1912, aprocess of treating hides or leather, particularly chrome leather, isdescribed, the steps of which process are in many respects similar tothese of the present invention. The present invention, however, is not atanning process for hides or a leather treating process by which leatheris given certain improved qualities or characteristics, but it is animprovement in the art of producing a fabric material of such a naturethat'it can be used, for example, as leather substitute; my invention istherefore quite independent of and distinct from the invention of saidpending application.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

Application filed June 16, 1914. Serial No. 845,438.

If it is desirable to impart to this fabric a special solidity it mayfirst be saturated with a solution of a derivative of cellulose, such ascelluloid, cellite, eellon, the solvent dried out and the fabric againsaturated with for instance a benzene solution of asphalt, and finally,in the saturated condition brought into a fused mass of petroleum pitch(the residues from the fractional distillation of petroleum also knownas artificial asphalt or petrol goudron) which is also soluble inbenzene, so that the fused mass can be substituted for the solvent inthe material and fill up all the pores. It is obvious that care shouldbe taken that the cellulose derivative selected shall not be soluble inthe solvent for the asphalt or similar'material, as otherwise the formerwould again be dissolved and thus in Whole or in part removed from thefiber. It is obvious that the nature of the material to be impregnatedas well as the impregnating material may be varied. Instead of a felt awoven material of wool, cotton, hemp, linen, jute or the like, nuy beused, and instead of asphalt and petroleum pitch, resin, caoutchouc,guttapercha, paraflins of high melting point or the like may beemployed. It is only necessary to observe the condition that the fusedmass must be soluble in the solvent last used in the process so that thediffusion may be possible. It is also feasible to render the impregnatedmaterial more or less hard by suitable additions. For instance iflinseed oil varnish or a drying oil, such as linseed oil or poppy seedoil be added in small proportion to the fused mass, there will be agradual hardening of the whole owing to the action of atmospheric oxygenon this drying material. On the other hand by adding a fatty non-dryingoil, such as a mineral oil or ascylinder oil, the impregnated productmay retain permanently a certain degree of softness and elasticity. Inthis manner by impregnating thin fabrics there may be made materials ofgreatest density resembling leather or waxed cloth,

whereas thicker fabrics may be made into A the fabric to be impregnateda solution of a a solution of petroleum pitch in an equal volume ofbenzene, and when fully saturated with this solution transferred to amolten mass consisting of 9095 parts of petroleum pitch and 105 parts oflinseed oil varnish. Instead of the linseed oil varnish there may beused a small addition of a mineral oil, for instance cylinder oil or aviscous parafiin. In this molten mass the fabric remains for about 24hours, the initial temperature being about 85 C. and the finaltemperature 100-110 C., whereby nearly all the benzene is graduallyexpelled from the fabric and its place taken by the molten' mass. Forfurther hardening the finished piece it may be allowed to remain forabout'll days. In this manner pieces of quite considerable thickness ofa "ery solid material can be obtained, which is applicable for manypurposes, for instance as a substitute for sole leather, for makingdrivingbelts, as a material for excluding water, as an electricalinsulating material or the like. Again, felt is placed for several hoursin a solution of cellite in acetone. The acetone is then dried out, andthe felt then placed in a 50% petroleum pitch-benzol solution, and theninto a melt of petroleum pitch. Again, several pieces, or layers, ofjute fabric are united by seams which are close together, to form aunitary body which is then laid into a 50% solution of mineral rubber inbenzol, and impregnated therewith; thereafter the body is laid into amelt ofpetroleum pitch.

Now what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is thefollowing:

1. An improvement in the manufacture of fibrous material to be used as asubstitute for leather and other purposes, which improvement consists infirst introducing into the fabric to be impregnated a solution of asuitable filling material and then introducing the thus filled fabricinto a fused mass adapted to be dissolved by the solvent used in thesaid solution substantially as described.

2. An improvement in the manufacture of fibrous material to be used as asubstitute for leather and other purposes, which improvement consists infirst introducing into the fabric to be impregnated a substance which isinsoluble in the solvent used for the impregnation of the fabric withthe filling material, impregnating the fabric with the solution of asuitable filling material and then introducing the thus filled fabricinto a fused mass adapted to be dis solved by the solvent used in thesaid solution substantially as described.

3. An improvement in the manufacture of fibrous material to be used as asubstitute for-leather and other purposes, which improvement consists infirst introducing into substance insoluble in the solvent used for theimpregnation of the fabric With-the filling material, removing thesolvent for the said substance, impregnating the fabric with thesolution of a suitable filling material and then introducing the thusfilled fabric into a fused mass adapted to be dissolved by the solventused in the said solution substantially as described.

4. An improvement in the manufacture of fibrous material to be used as asubstitute for leather and other purposes, which improvement consists infirst introducing into the fabric to be impregnated a solution of aderivative of cellulose, drying out the solvent from thefabric andimpregnating the latter again with the solution of a suitable fillingmaterial and then introducing the thus filled fabric into a fused massadapted to be dissolved by the solvent used in the said solutionsubstantially as described.

5. An imprdv'ement in the manufacture of fibrous material to be used asa substitute for leather and other purposes, which improvement consistsin first introducing into the fabric to be impregnated a solution ofcelluloid, drying out the solvent from the fabric and impregnating thelatter again with ,the solution of a suitable filling material and thenintroducing the thus filled fabric into a fused mass adapted to bedissolved by the solvent used in the said solution substantially asdescribed.

6. An improvement in the manufacture of fibrous material to be used as asubstitute for leather and other purposes, which improvement consists infirst introducing into felted fabric a solution of a suitable filling 1material and then introducing the thus filled fabric into a fused massadapted to be dissolved by the solvent used in the said solutionsubstantially as described.

7. An improvement in the manufacture of fibrous material to be used asa,substitute for leather and other purposes, which improvement consistsin first introducing into a felted. fabric, composed of a number ofsuperimposed layers, a solution of a suitable filling material and thenintroducing the thus filled fabric into a fused mass adapted to bedissolved by the solvent used in the said solution substantially asdescribed.

8. An improvement in the manufacture of fibrous material to be used as asubstitute for leather and other purposes, which improvement consists infirst introducing into 9. An improvement in the manufacture of fibrousmaterial to be used as a substitute for leather and' other purposes,which improvement consists in first introducing into the fabric to beimpregnated a solution of a bituminous filling material and thenintroducing the thus filled fabric into a fused bituminous mass adaptedto be dissolved by the solvent used in the said solution substantiallyas described.

10. An improvement in the manufacture of fibrous material to be used asa substitute for leather and other purposes, which improvement consistsin first introducing into the fabric to be impregnated a solutionbfpetroleum pitch and then introducing the thus filled fabric into a fusedmass adapted to be dissolved by the solvent used in the said solutionsubstantially as described.

11. An improvement in the manufacture of fibrous material to be used asa substitute for leather and other purposes, which improvement consistsin first introducing into the fabric to be impregnated a solution ofpetroleum pitch in benzene and then introducing the thus filled fabricinto a fused mass adapted to be dissolved by the solvent used in thesaid solution substantially as described.

12. An improvement in the manufacture of fibrous material to be used asa substitute for leather and other purposes, which improvement consistsin first introducing into the fabric to be impregnated a solution of asuitable filling material and then introducing the thus filled fabricinto a fused mass consisting of petroleum pitch substantially asdescribed.

13. An improvement in the manufacture of fibrous material to be used asa substitute for leather and other purposes, which improvement consistsin first introducing into the fabric to be impregnated a solution ofpetroleum pitch and then introducing the thus filled fabric into a fusedmass consisting of petroleum pitch substantially as described.

14. An improvement in the manufacture of fibrous material to be used-asa substitute for leather and other purposes, which improvement. consistsin first introducing into the fabric to be impregnated a solution of asuitable filling material and then introducing the thus filled fabricinto a fused mass consisting of a mixture of petroleum pitch fabric whenfully saturated with this solution to a molten mass consisting of 90*95parts of petroleum pitch and 10-5 parts of linseed oil varnish, allowingthe fabric to remain for about 24 hours in the molten mass, the initialtemperature being about 85 C. and the final temperature 100- 110 C.,whereby nearly all the benzene is gradually expelled from the fabricwhile its place is taken by the molten mass and allowing the finishedpiece to remain for about 14 days for hardening'substantially asdescribed. I

16. As an article of manufacture, a fibrous mass impregnated with acellulose derivative and a normally solid bituminous material.

17. As an article of manufacture, a fibrous mass impregnated with acellulosederivative and petroleum pitch.

18. As an article of manufacture, a fibrous mass impregnated withcelluloid and pe-- troleum pitch.

19. As an article of manufacture, a fibrous mass, the fibers of whichare coated with an inner layer of a cellulose derivative and a layerabove said inner layer of a normally solid bituminous material.

20. As an article of manufacture, a fibrous mass, the fibers of whichare coated with an inner layer of a cellulose derivative and a layerabove said inner layer of petroleum pitch.

21. As an article of manufacture, a fibrous mass, the fibers of whichare coated with an inner layer of celluloid and a layer above said innerlayer of petroleum pitch.

That I claim the foregoing as my inven tion, I have signed my name inpresence of two witnesses, this fourth day of June 1914.

DR. PHIL. KURT HARING.

Witnesses:

JEAN GRUND, CARL GRUND.

